For families separated between Mexico and the United States, the border fence can seem insurmountable. And it often is. But in a park near San Diego, the fence has become a place where those divided families meet and catch glimpses of one another -- through the fence.

The boarder's a no man's land patrolled by border guards. But on weekends, it becomes a place where families separated by immigration status can come to spend time together, albeit on opposite sides of a fence.

The US government has devoted a lot of resources to sealing the US-Mexican border. How effective has the build-up been, and what is the best way to measure it? Marco Werman speaks with Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Changes are being made to a 1996 immigration law that aimed to crack down on illegal immigration and thwart bogus marriages. In reality, it also ended up penalizing legitimate couples. Reporter Amy Isackson,with reporter Susan Ferriss bring us the story.

Mitt Romney often talks about his heritage in Mexico, and his faith in the Mormon Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a complicated history in Mexico -- it's growing rapidly today, but more than 100 years ago it was a place Mormons went to avoid a prohibition on polygamy.

Rather than ship business to China, more U.S. high tech companies are choosing to setup up factories just across the U.S. border in Mexico. Low-tech businesses have been doing it for decades, but the new arrivals are decidedly different.

There's considerable time and money being put into building a substantial fence along the US-Mexico border. Environmentalists had succeeded in delaying sectors that could harm the environment, so Congress gave the Department of Homeland Security permission to waive any law that stood in its way.

Host Lisa Mullins talks with Richard Marosi, staff writer for the L.A. Times, about an elaborate tunnel discovered between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego earlier this week. The tunnel was used to smuggle marijuana into the United States.

Mexico built tens of thousands of suburban houses to support a home-owning boom, with the hope that cities would expand around these communities. But it's not working out that way. Now the country has 600,000 abandoned homes.

Ceci Bastida has made music in Mexico and the US, and her latest work is something of a heads-up to both. It focuses on the violence — gun violence, mass shootings — that are too common in both countries. But not all of her songs are quite that dark.

Mexico's battle against drug traffickers is looking increasingly like a real war. The Mexican Army is involved, and traffickers are responsing with brazen attacks. The World's Lorne Matalon has the story from Mexico City.

Mitt Romney often talks about his heritage in Mexico, and his faith in the Mormon Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a complicated history in Mexico -- it's growing rapidly today, but more than 100 years ago it was a place Mormons went to avoid a prohibition on polygamy.

Since the start of President Felipe Calderón drug war in 2006, more than 35,000 people have been killed, countless thousands more remain unaccounted for, many missing for years. Myles Estey reports from Tijuana on the psychological impact of violence.

Rather than ship business to China, more U.S. high tech companies are choosing to setup up factories just across the U.S. border in Mexico. Low-tech businesses have been doing it for decades, but the new arrivals are decidedly different.

Not everybody who serves in the US military is actually an American citizen, but many of them were told they would receive citizenship if they served. Instead, thousands have been deported from the country they say is their real home after committing even minor crimes.

The US-Mexico border crossing near San Diego is one of the frontlines in the battle against illegal immigration. KPBS reporter Ruxandra Guidi brings us the story of one US Customs and Border Protection official who patrols the San Ysidro port of entry.